


The price of success

by Sweety_Mutant



Series: What if? The Great Escape [4]
Category: The Great Escape (1963)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Movie Spoilers, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-13
Updated: 2014-05-13
Packaged: 2018-03-02 22:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2828024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweety_Mutant/pseuds/Sweety_Mutant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Hendley and Colin had gotten away?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The price of success

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nkrockz23](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nkrockz23/gifts).



> * This is a commission for nkrockz23, who asked me to do a fic where Colin and Hendley get away, so I hope you like it ^^
> 
> *contain spoilers
> 
> * Please forgive me for any mistakes I'm not a native English speaker and do not have a beta reader yet.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

It has been hours since their "borrowed" plane has crashed in the woods and they had begun walking, and Colin could feel their route was ascending, tiny rocks under his feet and Hendley's hands steady on his shoulders. They came to a stop and the American said:

"Stay here. I want to climb further up to look at something before we continue. Don't worry, I'll be right back." Colin acquiesced, standing still as his friend's footsteps drawing away.

While waiting for Hendley to come back, Colin sent his lucky star a hundredth silent thank you to have allowed them to go this far. The last hours had been like a dream to the forger. He had been thrilled and nervous when they went through the tunnel, afraid –though he tried not to show it- when they had jumped out of the train. But he had been downright terrified when they had flown in the plane, more so when the engine stopped and smoke invaded the aircraft.

He remembered clearly the noises as the plane crashed into trees, Hedley grabbing his arm as they ran as far away as possible, stopping to take short breaths only when they couldn't hear their pursuers anymore, nor smell the smoke form the crashed plane.

They had then walked for hours without crossing paths with anybody but staying ever watchful for the barking of dogs, the drumming of boots or the noise of a plane searching the trees.

Hendley came back, and told Colin they had yet one hour or two before the night fell. They decided to continue climbing the Alpes and when the dark came, the two friends hid themselves in a small rock shelter and spent a fitful night, getting only a few moments of sleep.

They crossed the border of Switzerland the day after, tired but successful. They reached the English Embassy and asked for help, explaining who they were and what had happened. A few weeks later, they were safe in London, sitting around a warm cup of earl grey. Colin had returned to his family house in London. Him and his wife had decided to take Hendley in for the time being. Even if the American didn't want to intrude, he was well liked by all of his friend's family, and his stories of how he tricked the German guards always made Colin's kids laugh.

They had had to give a lot of information about everything that had happened to employees of the MI9 and had little time to catch up by telephone with their family and friends. Two days earlier, Danny and Willie had made it too, but they had no more information about the fate of the other escapees, neither did they know how many had escaped in the end.

A month later, as the end of the war seemed to draw closer and closer, Hendley and Colin received a phone call from the Military Command. They asked them to come to the MI9 quarters as soon as possible.

There, they met Danny, Willie and Sedgwick, who had made it to England via Spain. They were formally informed that the Government had received the information that fifty of their fellow escapees had been shot by the Nazis. At first, they couldn't believe it. It was too much. It couldn't be true… They listened to all the detail like in a dream, an eerie feeling that this was true, that the others were dead, established itself in their stomachs, making their eyes water as they were given the list of the names.

After they left the MI9 quarters, still deeply shocked, they decided to go to the nearest pub to sit down for a bit. An hour ticked by before the first glass was ordered, breaking their silence. Then they all spoke softly, like if it was some sort of secret, about the dead. About the escape. And about the dead again. Now that they had accepted this reality, they could let their grief flow.

Time seemed to pass more slowly than ever. During a silent, long pause in their conversation, Hendley said, looking for answers in the abstract patterns made by the brandy in the glass:

"… You know, even if we five succeeded, I wonder if all of this was really worth it. If we couldn't have waited for the end of the war…" he looked at the other and finished: "Even if you all knew him for longer than I, don't you think fifty lives is too high a price for… one man's thirst for revenge, whoever he might be?"

"I… I don't think I agree with you. We all choose to follow Him freely. Big X... he is only responsible for giving us hope, and a purpose. We needed it, don't you think so?" answered Willie.

"You're right mate! It was those bloody goons' fault, not Roger's, or anyone of us!" added Sedgwick, finishing his fourth glass.

"I think…" began Danny, "it is normal for us to feel guilt. We survived, but why us, and not the others?"

"I'm afraid we will never know. I don't know about you but for me, I think we should take time to mourn them and honor all of our friends' memory. That's what they would have wanted. " chipped in Colin, his calm voice putting an end to their conversation, everyone falling into a dense silence as they stayed at the pub until the night fell. The said their goodbye and each one returned to his home.

When they arrived, Colin's wife was waiting for them on the porch, and she ushered them in, her expression saying she understood that something dire had happened.

And as Hendley looked at the black sky before entering Colin's house, he was sure to feel a weight settling itself on his shoulders. He swallowed uneasily; head bowed, and finally entered, the voices of the kids calling him back from his poisonous feelings of guilt and regret. Colin was right. Feeling remorse was like dishonoring their memories, and giving reason to their murderers, but yet…

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the end I hope you all liked the fic, and don't forget to review if you want a mental cookie ^^


End file.
